Vehicle drawbar



J.. BAGOS v VEHICLE DRAWBAR Filed Feines, 1923 s snets-sneez 2 Oct. 21 1924.

J. BAGOS VEHICLE DRAWBAR efov Bajas WZq/SJ'S: v me/nto;

Patented @et 2l, 1924i.,

JOHN BAGOS, OF MACEQNALDTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

VEHICLE DBAEVBAR.

applicaties ined remuer-y as, ieee.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, JOHN Barros, a citizen of the United States, residing at Macdonaldton, in the county oi Somerset and State ot Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle Drawbars, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in draw bars for vehicles, the primar;v object thereof residing in the provision ot such a device that may be adjustably secured at its opposite ends to the front and rear axles respectively, of a pair ot motor vehicles for permitting one vehicle to tow the other, without the usual necessity ot employing a driver' to steer'the vehicle being towed, the ynature or" my draw bar being such as to effectively control the steering mechanism ot the towed vehicle.

A further object ot my invention resides in the provision oi3 a draw bar tor vehicles that is substantially simple of construction, and one that may be easily attached between a 'pair of vehicles, the same including relatively few parts, and these so corelated as to reduce the liability of derangement to a minimum.

The nature and advantages of the invention will be better understood when the following detailed description is read in connection with the accompanying drawings, the invention residing in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts as claimed.

ln the drawings forming part ot this application, like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, and wherein Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved draw bar positioned between. a liront and rear vehicle.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view thereof applied.

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view of the end of the draw bar attached to the front axle of the vehicle to be towed and clearly disclosing an improved form of clamp member adapted for securing the said bar to this axle.

Figure 4t is a cross sectional view of the front end of the said draw bar.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the opposite end of the bar with the axle securing clamp removed, and

Figure 6 is a perspective of the remova- Ssral No. 620,74?.

ble element of the clamp for the front axle ot the vehicle to be towed.

Referring to the drawings in detail, A designates the Jfront axle of the vehicle to be towed` while B designates the rear axle of the towing vehicle.

My draw bar, per se, constitutes the provision of a relatively elongated rod 5, the front end thereof being slightly bent upwardly as at 6, and thence forwardly and iattened as at 7, this flattened end being formed with an opening 8. Pivotally and removably secured to this front end of the said rod 5 through the instrumentality or" a coupling pin 9 is the yoked end 10 of a link 11 of a formation, more clearly shown in Figure 7. The front end of this linx is curved downwardly as at 12, the extreme end thereof being bifurcated as at 13, and pivotally secured as at 14C to this biiurcated end oit' the link is a swinging clamp plate 15, the front end thereotl being slotted as at 16. As shown in several oit the views.y the curved end of the link 11 is adapted for positioning between the said rear axle B of the towing machine, after which the clamping plate 15 may be swung upon its pivot 14 upon the top side of the axle. Positioned within an opening 17 of the said link 11 is a bolt 18, screw threaded at its lower end, and formed with a transverse head 19 upon its upper end, this head adapted tor projection through the said slot 1.6 in the clamp plate l5, after which, the same is turned at right angles to the plate tor maintaining the same locked upon the axle.

i/idjacent the rear end ot the said rod 5, the. same is flattened as at 20, and formed with an opening 21. Pivotally secured through the instrun'ientality of a pivot pin 22 to this flattened portion ot the said rod 5 are the spaced pendant ears 23 formed npon a plate 24. Swivelly connected as at 25 to this plate 24.- is a Ushaped clamp mem ber 26, the same adapted as more clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3, to engage over the said front axle A of the vehicle to be towed. The upper and lower walls of this clamp 26 are slotted adjacent their front ends as at 27 and 28, respectively, the opposite ends of the slot 27 being inclined as more clearly shown in Figure 8, while the trent end of the said slot 28 is also slightly inclined as shown in this figure. In conjunction with this clamp 26, is employed a removable locking plate 29, Figure 6. This Y 3l being forwardly inclined as at 33, While the iront surface oi the lower head 32 is inclined as at 34:. After the clamp 26 has been positioned upon the axle A, the upper head 3l is projected through the said opening 27 in t-he clamp and forced forwardly therethrough, after which the clamp may l i Wnggj inwardly and the head 32 positioned within the other opening` 28 oi the said clamp 26, icreiv threadedly disposed Within an opening in the rear Wall oit the clamp Q5 is a headed holt the front end of which ias sivivelly connected thereto, a locking Wedge plate 3G, the same being adapted to be forcibly enga-ged with the inner tace of the axle A for firmly maintaining the clamp in posi-tion.

Pivotally secured as at Il? to the extreme rear end of the rod 5, is a link 38, longitudin ally slotted at 89.A Engagin through the said slot 39 in the link 38 is a pin e0, the lower end of which carries a removable washer lll, While the upper end is formed with a clamp section 42. Cooperating With this clamp section l2 is a swinging. clamp section d3, the said sections l2 and 43 adapted 'for positioning over the usual connecting` rod C of the `machine to be towed and to be secured thereon by a bolt connection 44. Encircling vthisv pin il() and between the said Washer all and the linl; 38 is ak coiled spring l2 for maintaining this link 38 in a position against the clamp sections 4:3, which will consequently overcome any strain upon the said pin 4G, the purpose of the link 38 being t0 ypermit the rod to Swing upon its pivot Y ln View oit the above description, it will be `at once apparentthat when my dra-W bar ters Patent is miams connected betiveen two machines in a, manner shoe'n, a turning ot the 'iront niachine ivill consequently cause a lateral pivotal movement ot' the rod 5 upon the clamp ii, this movement eiieoting the pin 40 and clamp sections i2 and 43, for consequently actuating the connecting rod C of the steering mechanism of the machine being` towed present invention, it is nevertheless to'bek nderstood that minor changes may be made therein, ivithout departing` from the spirit and scope oi the invention as claimed.

Having' thus described my invention, what l claim as new, and desire to secure by Letn a vehicle draw bar coupling, a U-shaped clamp member adapted to be applied to an axle and provided at one end With' a slot and at its opposite end with anopening, the said slots and openings adapted to be disposed at the saine side of the axle, the slot and opening having beve-lied forward side surfaces, a locking plate adapted to bridge the space between the ends of thesaid YU- shaped clamp member, and provided at its end vWith head portions adapted to enter the slot and the opening respectively, said head portion having' bevelled surfaces adapted to bear against the bevelled edges ofthe head and opening respectively, the plate having otally connecting a coupling bar to the clamp member. A Y

in testimony Whereoi I allix my signature.

JOHN Broos. 

